Part of 26/11 conspiracy planned here, admits Pak

Last updated on: February 12, 2009 17:51 IST

After a spate of flip-flops, Pakistan on Thursday finally admitted that 'some part of the conspiracy' behind the Mumbai terror attacks was planned in the country and six persons have been arrested in this connection.

Pakistan's response to India's dossier on the November 26 Mumbai strikes was handed over to India's High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal with a list of 30 questions.

Islamabad also sought further information about Mumbai attackers including their finger prints and DNA samples.

"Some part of the conspiracy related to the Mumbai attacks was planned in Pakistan," Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said, an admission that comes after a series of conflicting statements from Pakistani leadership.

While the Indian Foreign Office said it will study the Pakistani response and react further, the Pakistani Foreign Office hoped India would reciprocate with the same spirit of cooperation.

Malik said nine persons have been named in an FIR registered on Thursday in connection with the Mumbai attacks and six persons have been arrested.

Malik, who met Pal earlier in the day, said that some of those involved in Mumbai attacks were Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives and the arrests were based on the preliminary investigations.

Pakistan has been under intense international pressure mobilised by India to crack down on the LeT and its frontal outfit Jamaat-Ud Dawah, which have been blamed for the Mumbai carnage that left 183 people dead.

"Actual investigation will start now as probe starts only after filing of FIR," he said.

Malik identified Hamad Amin Sadiq, a 38-year-old-man hailing from Punjab province, as the "main operator" in facilitating and coordinating the Mumbai attacks and named two others -- one Khan and one Riaz -- as accused in the case. Sadiq, who facilitated money transfer for the attacks, has been arrested along with another Pakistani national Javed Iqbal, who acquired the VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connections from Spain, Malik told a press conference.

On Ajmal Amir Kasab, Malik said his statement has to be recorded in Pakistani court, suggesting that Islamabad would like to seek the custody of 22-year-old Kasab, the lone surviving attacker nabbed during Mumbai attacks.

Malik said the investigators had traced the shop from where the engine for the boat used by the attackers was purchased and arrested the owner of the shop.

Cases have been registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act against nine persons including Kasab, Malik said.

Nine terrorists travelled to India from Karachi and three boats were used by them, he said.

This is in variation from the version of India, which has said that ten terrorists came from Karachi. Admitting thevariation, Malik said it will be clarified with India.

Three e-mail accounts and Voice Over Internet Protocol call made from from Spain by one Javed Iqbal who was living in Barcelona. "Don't ask how we got him here. He was lured to Pakistan and arrested," Malik said, adding "we have requested the Spanish government to cooperate".

Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, the LeT commander who India says masterminded the attacks, has been located and is underinvestigation, he said.

Another LeT operative Zarar Shah, a communication expert, has also been located. The money for the attackers was paid in Italy and the amount came from Islamabad.

Some SIM cards used by the terrorists were procured from India. "We would like to know how those SIMs wereprocured? We would also like to know how they were able to travel in a dinghy with weapons and grenades," he said.

Pakistan has sought answers from India to 30 questions, including information on finger prints and DNA samples of all the terrorists.